If, and it's a big if, you can get a job as a teacher at all - any idea of the statistics of graduate teachers that are unemployed or working in poorly paid, menial jobs? It's a huge amount; massive.
The vast majority of my daughters Uni teaching class from 3 years ago have no job, have never managed to get one, and don't hold out much hope of getting one either.
Nothing is a done deal these days where employment is concerned....
I quite agree - however and may be slightly off topic but heavily related but sometimes the Universities are a bit dim and sheltered when trying to recruit students.
After being made redundant in Jul 09, I considered retraining as a primary school teacher - places are crying out for them - so looked into doing a 1 yr PGCE course at local uni.
Basically 1 course that splits down into 6 slightly different variables.
1) Teaching infants / nursery level (no thanks) - vacancies
2) Primary / Middle school - full
3) Secondary school - couple of vacancies but my degree wouldn't be relevant to teaching in a 2y school
4) As 2 but with French - full
5) As 2 but with German - full
6) As 2 but with Spanish - lots of vacancies.
So I thought I'd opt for 6, given 15 years experience in the real world , and oh had also been learning Spanish for 7 years via adult education and private tuition.
"Have you got A level Spanish?"
"No, however, I have been learning it for several years and am quite comfortable in situations such as..........etc etc."
"Well you need A level Spanish don't you?"
"Hmm Adult Education doesn't do A Level Spanish though, I can hardly go back to school and do it can I?"
"But surely the level of Spanish I will be teaching for the relatively small period of time that week, is going to be pretty basic to an 8 yr old isn't it? Hardly up to A level standards"
"But you need A level Spanish"
"Indeed, I hear what you are saying and the reason you probably have lots of vacancies is very few schools around here offer A Level Spanish, compared to the more traditional modern languages. Why don't you have a Spanish student here and then my ability could be judged by a native speaker to assess my ability?"
"As, I said, you need A level Spanish."
"So how about, if my Spanish friend were to apply, you holds a degree from the University of Valladolid, and currently works at City College, teaching English, Maths and Reading to students who couldn't get a grade C at GCSE Levels, was to apply?"
"Well, if he hasn't got an A level in Spanish..............."
oh yes they go for their doss year off, oops sorry i mean gap year
